


Spaghetti, Wine & Myths

by Harleythegeekqueen



Category: SPN, Supernatural, spn au - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Language, alcohol consumption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-09 15:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13484430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harleythegeekqueen/pseuds/Harleythegeekqueen
Summary: You spend Valentine’s Day with your cute neighbor, celebrated photographer Castiel Novak.





	Spaghetti, Wine & Myths

**Author's Note:**

> Written for: Thran-duils Valentine Challenge // SPN Fluff Bingo ( @spnfluffbingo ) // SPN AU Bingo ( @spnaubingo )  
> Prompt: (For the valentine challenge) Next door neighbors that decide to share a bottle of wine since they’re both spending Valentine’s alone.  
> Square Filled: Fluff Bingo – Photographer AU // AU/Trope Bingo – Photographer!Cas  
> A/N: All errors are my own, gifs/photos found on Google unless noted above, and as always thank you so much for reading!

You sighed under the weight of your grocery bags urging the elevator to get there faster. The sooner you were in your apartment, the sooner you could crack open a bottle of wine and celebrate a Valentine’s Day for one. Finally after what felt like hours you made it onto the elevator using the wall to prop yourself against until you reached your floor. Why did you always buy the heaviest items at the store when you didn’t have your cart?

   The elevator finally opened as you rushed out of the door to your apartment. Stopping as you almost run over your neighbor, Castiel, the beyond beautiful photographer who you’ve had a crush on for almost two years. Unfortunately, your bags don’t get the memo to hold on as the handle rips and they fall out including the bottle of wine your boss gave you at work. Castiel immediately grabs everything you dropped into his arms and picks up the wine.

   “Hot evening planned for the holiday?” he asks in that deep voice that always makes your mouth dry.

   “Yeah, just dinner, wine, and binge-watching The Good Wife,” you laugh unlocking your apartment door. You think nothing of it as Castiel follows you inside helping place the groceries on the kitchen island.

   “What’s The Good Wife?” he asks.

   “It’s like a lawyer show with more drama. So no plans yourself?”

   “For what?”

   You scoff, “Valentine’s Day Cas. Did you not have any plans? No photographic opportunities or models falling all over you?”

   “No. I don’t support this capitalistic holiday that convinces people they are sad if no one buys them chocolates and roses. If they really loved you they would make sure you knew it every day not just once a year.”

   “So who broke your heart?” you asked as you made yourself busy. But if you had, to be honest, you just wanted to know more about him. You knew he was an amazing photographer although you’d never admit to owning two of his photography books. It’s just he was amazing and sweet and sometimes he was a little awkward but he was also tremendously caring yet you’d never saw him with anyone. At first, you thought he might be gay but the man you thought was his boyfriend turned out to be his brother Gabriel. That had to rank as one of the most awkward conversations that you had ever been a part of.

    You realized it had gotten quiet and you looked up as Cas seemed to be studying you, “Is it that obvious? I thought I kept my bitterness in check.”

    “No not obvious but your answer reminded me of my own. Did I ever tell you that I used to be married?”

    “Really? I never would have guessed.”

    “Yes, I met him while I was studying in London for a semester. He was slightly older and that accent. I was hooked.”

    “Slightly older?” Cas’ eyebrow raises looking at you intrigued.

   “Fifteen or sixteen years if I remember correctly,” you shrug. “Well, do you want to stay for dinner? I’m just making spaghetti.”

   “You don’t mind? I was planning to go out but I forgot about it being Valentine’s Day,” Cas looks hopeful seeming to perk up at your offer.

   “I don’t mind. Just open the wine so we can say we at least attempted to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The wine glasses are right there,” you pointed to the cabinet with the glasses as you begin cooking up some hamburger and getting a pot for the water.

    Cas moved grabbing two wine glasses and you held out the opener for him as he thanked you, “So I hope you weren’t finished if you don’t mind me asking. What happened to the husband?”

    “After you got past the accent he was a real prick. He came from money and loved to flaunt it not to mention he was really controlling. I just was really unhappy and I couldn’t even be myself half the time.”

    “So you ended it?”

    “Once I got evidence of extramarital affairs he was more than happy to divorce and let me be on my way.”

    “He cheated on you?” Cas frowned handing you a wine glass. You took it tapping it against his in a mock cheer.

   “Consistently I’m told. Unfortunately for him, his own father wrote that into the prenup. Basically, if there was evidence of cheating the one caught in the act would forfeit their share of our marital assets in a divorce. His father never trusted me to stay true since I was an American and well that ended up biting him in the ass.”

   “Serves him right,” Cas takes another sip. “I was going to propose to my girlfriend Meg. In fact, as cheesy as it was I planned to propose on Valentine’s Day. We were shooting all day and I had this elaborate plan. I went to propose and she broke up with me. Afterwards, I realized it was passion over substance. We would have never made one another happy.”

    You snickered draining the water from the pasta before mixing the ingredients together and dumping it into a serving bowl, “A proposal on Valentine’s Day? You old romantic how could she have said no.”

   “You’re hilarious,” he quipped helping carry the bowl to the table. “Would you mind if I used your restroom before we eat?”

   “No problem. You’ll have to use the one in my bedroom though. The guest bathroom is out of order until maintenance can get here next week. It’s right through there.”

    Cas vanishes giving you a moment to relax sitting out the plates and pouring more wine into each glass. If someone had told you that you’d spend Valentine’s Day with your cute neighbor sharing a meal and wine you would have laughed at them. But this was nice and there was no other place you’d rather be. You sat down after spooning out some spaghetti on each plate and waited sipping on your wine for Cas to return.

    “Someone is a fan,” you snap up to see Cas holding up his photography book. “Which was your favorite?”

    “You sneak! You weren’t supposed to see that!” you jump up grabbing the book and taking it back to your shelf. “You’re officially on my shit list.”

    “I think it’s charming. I always adore meeting fans. So seriously what’s your favorite?”

    “Promise not to laugh?”

    “Scouts honor,” Cas makes the hand sign of a Boy Scout and you chuckle taking your seat at the table. He sits down resting his elbows on the table and placing his chin in his hands, “So are you going to tell me?” He bats his eyelashes and you snicker ignoring his teasing antics.

    “Okay, I’m really a huge fan of your  _New Perspective_  series. I love the twists mixing modern with old fairy tales and I heard you’re going to be doing mythology in the next part of the series. Do you know which myths you’re doing?”

     Castiel smiled picking up his glass, “Which Myth is your favorite?”

     “My favorite?”

     “Yes, which is your favorite?”

     “Hades and Persephone of course,” it was the truth the myth had always fascinated you. “But not the Hades is a rapist and Persephone is a weak pawn in the games of Olympus. Persephone was strong and defied her mother to become who she was meant to be, wife of Hades and Queen of Tartarus.”

     “I agree with you and that one is my favorite as well,” Cas clinked his wine glass back against yours.

       The meal passed in quiet as you traded jokes with Cas. He had an odd sense of humor but it endeared you to the bed-headed photographer. He asked about your job but compared to his office work wasn’t that exciting. After dinner, he helped you clean the dishes and soon you’d both settled onto the couch while you poured the last bit of wine between you both.

      “Y/N, may I ask you a question?”

      “I suppose so Castiel.”

      “Have you ever been photographed?”

      “Not to my knowledge. Why?”

      “I just think you’re really beautiful. I’d like to photograph you.”

      “Is that a pickup line?” you giggled the winemaking you feel bold.

      Cas sat his glass down, “No this is serious. Why do you think I was waiting for you when you got home?”

      “I assumed it’s because we were both lonely on Valentine’s Day. Wait! You were waiting for me?”

       To your utter amusement, Castiel blushes, “I…well…yes. I think you’re lovely and I do want to spend more time with you. You are actually…” Castiel pauses nervously rubbing the back of his neck. He keeps the blush on his cheeks, “You’re actually kind of my muse.”

       “Come on Castiel don’t patronize me. I’m nothing special certainly not to be photographed,” you set your glass down before laying back on the couch.

       “Let me prove it to you,” Castiel leaps to his feet. “Give me five minutes.”

       Cas didn’t give you a chance to respond so you stretch out making yourself comfortable on your couch. You weren’t used to drinking more than one glass of wine and it was nice to be able to relax. Your apartment door opened and you heard a click of a camera. Sitting up quickly Cas had his camera out snapping shots of you with a smile that could probably melt chocolate.

      “Cas, come on stop that,” you pulled your arms up in front of your face. “I’m wine drunk and filled with pasta!”

      “Still beautiful,” he offered sitting on the edge of your couch. “Seriously stretch out like you’re sleeping.”

      “Fine, you weirdo,” you stretched out in a pose that you’d learned from Rose in Titanic. “Do I look like one of your French girls?”

     Cas grumbles about the reference before he takes a couple more snaps with his camera, “Do you want to see?”

      You sit up allowing Cas to take a seat beside you as he pulls up the album on the camera. Cas is an amazing photographer, which you were already well aware of. But he does have an eye. You’re usually pretty confident about yourself but photographs are hard but these look really good. You wouldn’t even add a filter if you had them.

      “Cas, these are amazing,” you squeezed his bicep before resting your head on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

       He sits down the camera turning his head to look at you, “Why are you thanking me?”

       “For spending the evening with me,” you look up meeting his gaze. “This has probably been one of my favorite Valentine’s in a long time. I mean my cute neighbor who also happens to be my favorite photographer eating spaghetti and drinking wine with me. Who wouldn’t love that?”

       “You think I’m cute?”

       Your eyes widened, “Did I say that aloud?”

        Deep throated laughter rolled from Cas as he wrapped his arm around you, “Well I’m kind of smitten with you if it makes you feel any better.”

        “Kiss me?”

        “Always,” Cas leans forward pressing his lips to yours. You answer in kind practically crawling onto his lap running your hands through his already disheveled hair. Cas pulls away first to your surprise but pulls you to his chest. “We’ve had too much wine to take this any further.”

         You yawn against him, “What a gentleman.” Castiel presses his face into your hair as you both get comfortable soon falling asleep.

## ONE YEAR LATER

         “How do I look?” you twirled in the [form-fitting strapless gown](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polyvore.com%2Fcgi%2Fset%3Fid%3D234312550&t=Y2IwYjQyYmYyNTM1OTZhOWZhNDFlOGI0MWYxNmU4YTZhMjg0NmViMCxySnZHdkR6dg%3D%3D&b=t%3A8ptHxLG97OGsa0ohbjx_OA&p=https%3A%2F%2Fdocharleythegeekqueen.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F170141847684%2Fspaghetti-wine-myths&m=1)you’d bought for Cas’ exhibit. Not only would it be your one year anniversary but it, of course, had to be Valentine’s Day. You couldn’t believe that night had spawned this amazing relationship.

         “Well my dear you do look good enough to eat,” Cas stepped behind you wrapping his arms around your waist his mouth nibbling at your neck. “Perhaps we skip the exhibit and just celebrate on our own. I can go get some wine.”

         “Tempting Mr. Novak but this is a big deal for you. Plus we’re off for the next week,” you turn wrapping your arms around his neck. “I promise we won’t leave that bed. I might even do that thing you like.”

         Cas visibly swallows, “We should go.”

         Cas drapes your shawl across your shoulders as you head to the studio hosting the exhibit. Tonight’s the grand opening of his  _New Perspective Mythos_  series. You’d given in and actually stepped in allowing him to photograph you as Persephone. He originally planned to ask you to pose as Artemis but once he heard you loved the Persephone myth he made sure to make that your picture. The fact that the model had to drop out at the last minute and Cas himself was Hades was just an added bonus. Unfortunately, he refused to let you see the finished photos insisting you wait until tonight.

        Cas led you into the open room where people roamed about taking in the art, eating hors d'oeuvres, and drinking champagne. The room was decorated in deep reds and golds making no mistake what the day was. Cas’ family and friends welcomed you as the director of the museum a small redheaded woman known as Rowena took his arm leading him to the small stage that had been set up. Cas’ pieces were covered with deep red tapestries in a semi-circle around the stage a total of ten in all.

         “Nervous?” Cas’ best friend and frequent model asked.

         “Of course I am. What if people laugh at me?” your insecurities were getting the best of you.

         “Trust me. I’ve seen your picture. Cas better lock you down because I’m pretty sure you’ll have a few offers after everyone sees it.”

          You blush at Dean’s words but you know he’s a natural flirt so he’s probably being nice, “I doubt that Mr. Winchester. Plus even if they did I’m already with the man I plan to spend the rest of my life with.”

           Dean only grins kissing your cheek as Rowena takes the stage. She introduces Cas with some lovely remarks before he takes the stage amidst a roar of applause. Cas goes into his well-practiced speech thanking his models, Rowena, and a wide range of others. You asked that he not include you in his opening speech since the photo will give you enough attention. You really want tonight to be about him and his work. As he begins explaining each picture the curtain drops. They are absolutely stunning and you can tell the crowd loves them too.

           “My final piece tonight is very special to me. As you know  _Mythos_  is the study of our ancient myths and my show concludes tonight with a love story. Funny enough this love story helped lead me to my own,” Cas looks directly at you and you can feel the embarrassment in your cheeks. “I knew exactly who I wanted to shoot, but she wasn’t a model although I can’t imagine why no one had ever wanted to film her. So I waited for her to come home to make my case for her to appear in this series and she runs right into me. We were neighbors then so it was easy. She invites me in for wine and spaghetti and that’s how we spend our first Valentine’s Day together. A year ago I met my Persephone and tonight I present her to you all,” the last curtain drops revealing the photo.

        “Oh my god,” Dean takes your hand pulling you through the crowd as you try to not cry. The picture is breathtaking with a smoky filter over the scene. Cas’ eyes are enhanced to a glowing blue but his expression is breathtaking. “He loves me doesn’t he?”

        “Yeah now get up there,” Dean pushes you to the stairs as Cas holds out his hand.

        “Ladies and gentlemen I present to you my Persephone,” you curtsy to the crowd as the applause sounds again. Cas takes your hand before looking back at the crowd, “Thank you so much for everyone joining us and sharing  _Mythos._ ”

        Cas leads you off the stage and out of the room to the patio area, “Well, that was exhilarating. Why did you bring me up on stage you goof?”

        “I wanted this Valentine’s Day to be as memorable as our last one.”

        “Don’t worry I’ve got spaghetti at home and we’ll grab a bottle of wine on the way.”

        “You’re the perfect girl, Y/N.”

        “I’m an okay girl. The photo looks amazing Castiel. Thank you for letting me be Persephone,” you snuggle into your boyfriend’s side.

        “There was no one else,” Cas leans up exhaling before he moves off the bench kneeling down beside you. You immediately freeze until you see him hold up what looks like a book on Greek Myths. “I’m a King without a Queen. I love you Y/N and I know it’s only been a year and that it’s disgustingly cheesy to be doing this today of all days. But I don’t want to go another day without saying it. Y/N Y/L/N, will you please be my wife?”

        You lose the battle with your tears as he opens the book revealing the [sparkling diamond set in a platinum rose and black diamonds](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fsegaljewellery.com%2Fproducts%2Funique_engagement_ring_diamond_ring_14k_white_gold_flower_vintage_antique_engagement_ring_black_diamond_with_black_diamond_-_elena&t=YmNhNjc0NWU4ZTFkODYzMDM3YjA0ZmIwMzk0MTBiZTJmNmMwM2M4YyxySnZHdkR6dg%3D%3D&b=t%3A8ptHxLG97OGsa0ohbjx_OA&p=https%3A%2F%2Fdocharleythegeekqueen.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F170141847684%2Fspaghetti-wine-myths&m=1). It rests on the page with the chapter title  _The King of Hell and his Flower Queen_. Cas’ eyes are just as glassy as he waits for your answer. As if it’s any kind of question at all. You grab his face kissing his lips sighing, “Yes, Castiel Novak, I’m all yours.”


End file.
